


The Rule of Many

by Merrinpippy



Category: Star Wars Original Trilogy, Star Wars Prequel Trilogy, Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008) - All Media Types
Genre: Am I gonna continue this as a series? Who knows! Certainly not me, Anakin Skywalker Needs a Hug, Force Bond (Star Wars), Gen, Jedi Luke Skywalker, The Force, Time Travel
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-01
Updated: 2020-07-01
Packaged: 2021-03-05 05:53:49
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,378
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25019593
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Merrinpippy/pseuds/Merrinpippy
Summary: Strange forces conspire to send Darth Vader, newly dead, back to his old self and his old body. Faced with the same struggles as before but now with a more powerful darkness within him, how could he possibly overcome the odds stacked so high against him?However, he is not sent back alone. And as he now knows, his greatest weakness can also prove his greatest strength.
Relationships: Anakin Skywalker | Darth Vader & Luke Skywalker, Obi-Wan Kenobi & Anakin Skywalker | Darth Vader
Comments: 27
Kudos: 196





	The Rule of Many

“I don’t like it,” Anakin stated for what must have been the fifth time, clutching his unlit lightsaber tighter in his hands. 

Obi-Wan, again, did not respond, but Ahsoka side-eyed him and raised a single eyebrow. “What’s not to like? It’s quiet enough.” 

“Too quiet,” Anakin insisted, glancing around once more at the dark stone tunnels they were traversing. Most of the clones were at the entrance of the cave, so it was only him, his master, his padawan, and Rex combing the caves for suspicious activity. “For a place with such a high disturbance in the Force, it seems… wrong.” 

This caught Obi-Wan’s attention. “Wrong? Do you sense something, Anakin?” 

Yes? No? Anakin wasn’t quite sure how to answer. He did feel a pull of some kind, grasping at him and pulling him forward. The others evidently didn’t feel the same thing. 

One more turn brought them to a fork in the tunnel, and they all stopped as one, letting the dust from their footsteps swirl and settle around them. Anakin knew where to go. The only trouble was, it felt too big a disturbance now to go in without their clone reinforcements, but it would take time for them to catch up, and who knew what was happening now? And if they’d be too late to stop any lasting damage that might occur?

Obi-Wan put his hands on his hips, letting out a frustrated breath of air. “We’ll have to split up.”

Anakin frowned. “What? Master, it’s obvious the way we have to go,” he said, taking a step towards the right tunnel.

“Right’s always right,” added Rex, in an attempt to be supportive. Anakin shot him a distracted smile for the effort. 

But Obi-Wan shook his head. “There’s no way to know for sure, and I fear — ”

“The Force is  _ telling me  _ the way to go!” Anakin overrode him, inching towards the tunnel as he spoke. “Signal the other troopers to catch up and we can go on ahead and see what the hell is going on.” 

“Anakin, please exercise more caution, it’s — Anakin,  _ no!”  _

Too late. Anakin sensed the danger as soon as Obi-Wan did, but his reflexes were not fast enough to avoid being trapped on the other side of the stone wall that crashed to the ground between him and the group. Of course it was a trap. When was it not a trap? And Anakin had fallen for it, yet again. 

Perhaps one day he’d stop letting Obi-Wan and Ahsoka down, but it appeared today was not that day.

Worse was that he couldn’t even lift the door with the Force — in fact, there seemed to be a Force shield dividing them, so even though he was sure the others were shouting at him from the other side, it was like a fly buzzing near a window. Not close enough to catch.

It looked like he had no choice, then. May as well follow the rest of the path to its conclusion. Anakin strode off through the tunnel, this time with his saber lit. No use hiding his presence now, and he wasn’t about to be caught off guard  _ again.  _

But it was a long time before he would reach the end. He didn’t tire but he began to bore, and with that boredom he sped up, because if he would just reach the end it would be fine and he’d find whatever was drawing him here and everything would turn out like it always did. Would the tunnels ever meet again, he wondered, or was he stuck here now until whoever activated that door decided to let him out? 

No, he’d find the controls and damn anybody who decided to get in his way.

By the time the feeling of disturbance in the Force got strong enough that it physically affected Anakin, frustration was a fire licking at Anakin’s spine, spurring him forward. It was practically a relief to burst into the small cavern resonating with a strange blue blurriness—

_ and though his vision was simply blue now instead of red, it felt so right to finally look upon Luke with his own eyes _ _ — _ _ to see Obi-Wan and Yoda actually smiling at him, to feel Luke’s pride resonating from him. Princess Leia, he saw through new eyes- _

he couldn’t believe his eyes. What in the fresh hell? The Jedi had access to some scary technology but this looked like something out of his childhood nightmares, when Watto tried to scare him away from his construction of Threepio. There were two glass cylinders that Anakin would mistake for bacta tanks if he — well, if he didn’t have eyes, and there were people at the machines but —

_ they stared at him, but it took him a second to realise why. He felt… wrong.  _

_ “What’s happening to me?” he asked, but even his voice… Obi-Wan reached for him, and Luke reached out but stumbled on his way. Everyone froze, including Anakin, as Luke looked up. The resonance was affecting Luke, too, and he was barely able to stand _ _ — _

He couldn’t stand any longer, and the people caught him as they fell, though even that felt off, detached, robotic even… if only the pounding in his head would stop. If it didn’t cease, Anakin feared he’d simply shake himself off until there was no more of him to shed, and then he’d be —

_ and then he knew nothing. _

* * *

It felt like hours before he regained consciousness, and when he did there were several new figures in the cavern all gathered round him, which was ... unexpected. The last thing he remembered was — being trapped in the bacta tank — no, seeing Luke on Endor — no —

He was —

He couldn’t breathe. Fingers flew to his throat, metal and flesh alike, to scrape at whatever was incapacitating him. But they found nothing, and his throat began to make the most awful of noises. 

“Anakin? What’s wrong, what’s happened?!” came Obi-Wan’s voice, sounding off somehow, but he couldn’t focus onto that, because why couldn’t he  _ breathe?  _

“Sir, the unknown is waking up,” came Rex, and Vader just barely managed to focus enough to see a blond man in the other cylinder, not gasping uselessly as he was, beginning to regain consciousness as well. 

Luke, of course.

Something was off. 

And Vader’s head was about to burst.

“Anakin, breathe, please — ” 

“Sir, he’s moving, what do we do? I can’t tell whether he’s hostile or — ”

Luke’s gasp brought Vader’s focus up again, and the others tried to stop Luke’s advance but were far too slow. At once Luke slid onto his knees beside Vader, taking his hand despite Anakin’s undoubtedly pathetic appearance.

“Hey, breathe, breathe alright? Focus on me, I’ll show you how. A bit hard to do when you haven’t done it in such a long time, am I right?” 

Trust Luke to see straight through to the problem. Already Anakin felt safer, though his head was still clouded. Most of it was blocked out by his panic. He tried to do what Luke instructed, used the Force to feel the airflow in and out of Luke’s lungs. He could replicate that. Or he could try, anyway.

“‘Do or do not. There is no try,’” Luke said gently. 

In. Out. In. Out. Anakin coughed so hard he thought he’d ripped something, and then rasped, “You dare quote Master Yoda to me.”

This brought a relieved laugh out of Luke, though he did not let go of him. “Better?” 

In. Out. In. Out. “It’s maddening,” Anakin rasped again. What was with the rasping? This wasn’t how he remembered his younger self’s voice. “And it never stops. How did I ever manage this before?” 

Luke smiled wryly. “You’ll get used to it. Now, forgive me for asking, but who are these guys?” 

Anakin managed to drag his attention away from his son just as Obi-Wan stepped forward. “We were just about to ask you the same,” Obi-Wan said, fixing Luke with a cautious look. It made Anakin’s hackles rise, but his returning thought processes encouraged him not to act on them. There were things he didn’t yet have straight. 

Luke, however, looked to Anakin for an answer. Deferring to him. What a terrible idea.

“Luke, meet Obi-Wan Kenobi, Ahsoka Tano, and Rex of the 501st,” he said. Surreal didn’t begin to describe the sensation. The others didn’t respond to this introduction, though, still looking for Luke to identify himself properly. Anakin just barely resisted an eye roll on his son’s behalf. “He was here when they put me in that, uh, thing,” Anakin answered for him. “I don’t have any memory of what they did to either of us, but I get the impression it wasn’t just a Force-induced nap.” 

Luke didn’t slip. “I don’t remember anything either. I’m not even sure where we are. This doesn’t look like Endor.” 

Hah.

“So you don’t know anything about a disturbance in the Force?” Ahsoka chimed in— _Ahsoka!_ _—_ speaking to Luke for the first time. Anakin couldn’t decide who he wanted to focus on more— his son, or the padawan he’d lost to his own darkness. 

That was the thing. This was… this was all wrong. Not a Force dream, not some kind of trick. He’d been dead. He’d been  _ dead.  _ And blue, and ghostly, and looking upon Luke for the last time. And now what? The afterlife? That didn’t seem right.

No, he’d… he’d merged with himself, which was why he wasn’t totally going ballistic right now. Because he had his past self’s knowledge of the situation — or at least muscle memory. Soul memory? Force memory? But this… this was Obi-Wan. Young. That was what was wrong with his voice. And Ahsoka, and Rex — Rex! And somehow he didn’t feel a burning rage at the thought of his old Master. 

Or did he? Was he just so used to burning rage that it was just background noise to him now? 

Who even was he now? Anakin or…

“Hey,” Luke called to him, breaking him out of his thoughts. Everyone was staring at him. Fantastic. “You with us?” 

“Just barely.” 

“B — uh, Obi-Wan says we’re on Geonosis. You remember that?” 

“Sort of,” he hedged. What could he tell Luke without giving everything away? And without making everyone else suspicious? He glanced around at his spectators. No, he amended, it was too late to avoid suspicion. Without making them  _ more  _ suspicious, then. “Did you catch them on your way here?” he directed the question to Obi-Wan. 

“Catch who? We found no-one, and as far as we can tell, the way you came and the way we came were the only ways out.” 

“They could have lifted the wall again,” he suggested, but Ahsoka shook her head and pointed to a control panel that they must have figured out already.

“We checked. The path is still closed. They got out some other way that we can’t find.” 

“Perhaps we’d better get the both of you back to the temple — the healers will want to take a look at you, and then…” Obi-Wan glanced at Luke. “We’ll have more questions.”

So they would put Luke in a cell to get their answers. 

Oh. No.  _ There  _ was the burning rage he recognised — how  _ dare  _ Obi-Wan even suggest such a thing, as if he knew the smallest amount of who Luke and Anakin really were — ?! But as soon as it came, it settled. Anakin looked over to Luke, who seemed, if anything, sheepish.

“You’ve been using mind tricks on me this entire time,” he blurted, surprised, and only belatedly realised it was exactly the wrong thing to spout in the presence of a defensive Obi-Wan, Ahsoka, and Rex. 

Immediately all their guards were up, and the two jedi’s sabers were already ignited before Anakin lunged to put himself between them and Luke.

And then something strange happened. The movement jostled them both, and Anakin felt the second his skin stopped being in contact with Luke’s because a crushing heaviness suddenly boxed him in on all sides. Vader faltered, head bowed, but refused to crumple at the weight.

In. Out. 

In. 

Out. 

Luke was protecting him from this. How pathetic, that he needed rely on his son to protect him from his own power? 

Yes. Luke. And the others. With tremendous effort, Vader caged the darkness, withdrawing it until it fit inside his frame, smaller than he was used to. It was now struggling to get out rather than boxing him in, but even that would dissipate the longer he got used to dealing with it on his own. Already he was faring better than usual — he was not in complete agony, and that simple fact unbalanced him.

He was… free?

But he was in the past. 

Where Emperor Palpatine was still alive. 

“It is taking every ounce of control I possess to not simply kill everyone in this room,” Vader hissed so only Luke could hear. 

He sensed rather than saw Luke nod. What a novelty it was without the suit. “I know,” Luke said. “I have faith in you.” 

“My eyes,” he said. “What of their colour?” 

Luke reached out a hand to touch his face, but a sound from Rex’s gun made him halt. Vader resisted the urge to sigh. He could kill them all with a small twitch, and he imagined Luke wasn’t far behind, yet this task required a certain amount of patience that he wasn’t exactly known for exercising. Yes, he was getting to them. One thing at a time.

He turned his face so Luke could clearly see his eyes. It was odd, the sensation of being watched and truly seen. His face was his again. His eyes… he was exposed to everyone in a way he had not been in years. Exhilarating wasn’t quite the word. 

In. Out. 

“Blue,” Luke whispered. Vader nodded and turned.

Oh, what he could do with this. He was far superior to the Anakin who’d been in his place before. He was the Chosen One before, but now…

Get a grip. Anakin scolded himself as the burning sensation faded, and finally transferred his attention. Reluctantly. It was more difficult than he might have imagined to tear his gaze from Luke no matter how many times he had to do it. Luke was just like a magnet to him. But though he didn’t really want to see the looks on his friends’ faces, he wanted to look upon the dusty (sandy) floor less, so he forced himself to move past it. 

Rex was apprehensive, but because he was a good soldier, Anakin’s gesture was enough to curb him for now. Ahsoka and Obi-Wan, less so. They were poised to fight, and now he was a target of their suspicion also. Not that they’d win in a fight versus him  _ and  _ Luke, but at some point he was going to have to sit down and actually sort through what the fucking hell he was going to do now, and getting into a fight with the two would most likely be more detrimental than anything else.

But he did have to sort this one thing out first.

“You can’t hurt him,” he insisted, and to his chagrin found his voice more Vader-like in tone than he really wanted. 

“He’s affecting you, Master, you said it yourself!” Ahsoka brandished her saber in what she must have thought was a threatening manner. It was almost cute. 

Obi-Wan was less cute. “I won’t let him hurt you,” he said, but Anakin just felt insulted. 

“He was using the Force to calm me down,” Anakin explained, trying (but not entirely succeeding) to keep the bite out of his tone. “Or are you going to pretend you didn’t see that little glitch until you’re in front of the council and giving Mace your report?” 

To her credit, Ahsoka scrutinised him for only a second longer before loosening her stance. She knew him well, he supposed. Again, though, Obi-Wan managed to be the thorn in his side.

“How do we know he’s not affecting you now?” 

Anakin blinked, and then came up with a hilarious idea, and internally apologised to Luke for his impulsivity. “Well of course he’s affecting me!” Anakin exclaimed, leaving a beat for dramatic effect. “We’re bound by the Force!” 

It was difficult to contain a smirk at their baffled expressions. It was a snap decision to air that little secret out, but it gave them a plausible excuse for all this touchy-feeliness that Anakin had unfortunately coerced Luke into. He felt Luke, questioning, behind him, but the boy didn’t dare interrupt. He did  _ know  _ about Force bonds, though, surely…

“How is that possible? You don’t even know him,” Ahsoka stated, uncertain. 

Anakin shrugged. “All I know is that when I came in here, Luke was in that cylinder, and when I came to, we were together and we were bound. And then I started freaking out.”

Now this was both true and untrue at the same time. As Vader he’d been bound to Luke ever since they’d first encountered each other on the Death Star, though they hadn’t realised it, and the bond had solidified on Bespin. Perhaps now they were together and alive, it would have a chance to strengthen.

But he was getting ahead of himself. The jedi would want him to prune the bond, except it wasn’t actually his fault — or at least that would be his story — it was forced upon him… and oh dear, he can’t seem to get rid of it, and if no-one else can either, he surely can’t be blamed. 

Back to the present, Anakin. Or the past. Or — whatever. Breathe. In and out.

Obi-Wan’s expression was grim. “We can discuss this when you give your report. For now, I don’t think it’s wise to tarry. The Force disturbance has vanished anyway, I doubt we’ll find anything else helpful here.” 

For once, Anakin agreed with his former Master. “Yes, let’s get,” he said.

Ahsoka rolled her eyes at him and made to walk over to the door control panel. Without thinking, Anakin opened it from where he was. Luke nudged him in the back as a caution.

Ahsoka shot him a look, but she and Rex both helped him and his son up from where they were strewn on the ground. Instantly Ahsoka was guiding Luke in front of her in a way that promised a friendly interrogation, with Rex following quickly after. 

Obi-Wan held him back, though. 

“Anakin,” he said softly. “Truly, are you alright?” 

No, of course not, he thought. He had so many issues to parse through he hadn’t even let himself think of them yet and this whole endeavour was inevitably going to end up very, very painful for him and Luke both. But… here Obi-Wan was, asking him if he was alright, and Anakin found that the hatred he’d held for so long about this man couldn’t reach him now. 

He’d always had a weakness for Obi-Wan being... well, anything but a detached jedi, twenty year grudge be damned. 

“In all honesty, I don’t know,” he admitted. “Everything’s so… upside down, and I don’t understand why. I need some time to process all of this. But I do know that we can trust Luke. I’d wager my saber on it.” 

His saber which was, miraculously, on his belt. Which meant his abductors didn’t mind him being armed. Not that he’d managed to do much against them. 

Obi-Wan stroked his beard, and Anakin fought the urge to smile at the familiar gesture. If he did that, he thought he’d burst into hysterical laughter, and that would be good for no-one. 

Was this his life now? It nearly felt like a dream, his sleep-knowledge warring with his waking mind. But the Obi-Wan in front of him was real, not the hateful shadow Palpatine had convinced him he was. And everyone else.

He and Luke were real and alive and together. And regardless of whatever forces had conspired to bring them here, there was a real chance that Anakin could right his wrongs and not mess everything up this time, especially with Luke here to help him. 

They could be unstoppable. 

“We’ll see,” Obi-Wan answered, and then they followed after the others. 

**Author's Note:**

> On the one hand, I feel this works on its own. On the other, I'd love to follow this through. Still not sure which one I'll pick.
> 
> Regardless, thanks for reading! Feel free to leave a comment and have a wonderful day!


End file.
